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15 March 2016Considerations for Creating a Spa Wellness Area

The lifestyle benefits of a private swimming pool are well-known – exercise and relaxation in the privacy of your own home, peace and solitude when you want it, be that at the crack of dawn to get your day started with a zing, or to unwind after work. And when you are in a more playful mood, the pool can be used for pool games and parties. It’s also a fantastic backdrop for a sophisticated soirée.

For many people, having a swimming pool, spa and sauna are all part of their healthy lifestyle. If you’re looking for a total wellness experience, it makes sense to incorporate a spa, sauna and/or ice bath along with a swimming pool. With that in mind, let’s look at a few considerations when choosing to combine your pool with a spa.

Energy efficiency and the environment
An important consideration is energy consumption. Though less hungry than a full-sized pool, a spa will consume additional electricity so you need to factor this into your buying decision. Although, it’s fair to say that modern plant room equipment is much more energy-efficient than in the past, so today’s spas are much kinder on the wallet and the environment.

When speaking with your chosen pool company, be sure to discuss energy use as well as design, size, features and benefits so that you choose a product that meets your personal requirements. Then discuss what other steps can be taken to ensure you operate the spa at maximum efficiency. For example, an indoor spa will be more energy-efficient than an outdoor one due to insulation and you could consider powering the spa with external solar panels – if, of course, your wellness area is outdoors! Even the use of a cover and employing proper cleaning methods will ensure that a spa operates at maximum efficiency, which means less drag on electricity.

Maintenance
If you have any experience with private pool maintenance, you’ll know that it can be quite a demanding task, requiring both knowledge and time – that’s why so many people outsource servicing. Keeping a spa well-maintained is just as important as servicing a pool. Taking proper care of the water chemistry is essential to ensure that the spa is always healthy – a good filtration system, proper chemical treatment (incorrectly treated water will encourage bacteria growth which must be avoided) and regular shocking of the water should keep a spa clean, healthy and running hot. When you do get your spa you, there are lots of helpful spa care tips in this post.

Ventilation
Installing a modern, efficient ventilation system that deals with the rising steam from the spa is vital, otherwise, you will soon find that your lovely wellness area is blighted by condensation problems. Apart from covering everything from ceiling to floor in moisture, poor ventilation can lead to damp and rot – that won’t be very relaxing! Uncontrolled condensation will affect the humidity of the pool room and, in turn, its heating and hygiene. Humidity control and air handling are essential for the pool room. These are important for your purchasing decision as they will require servicing along with other elements of the pool and spa.

Making structural changes to retrofit ventilation equipment will be disruptive and inconvenient. For this reason, it’s best to have the spa designed and installed at the same time as the swimming pool.

Look at all of your options
When it comes to choosing a spa to complement your pool, you have a lot of options in terms of brands, styles, sizes and features – the only limitation is the size and nature of your property. A chat with your pool designer will help you decide what’s best for your home and the spa/pool users.

Twin Plunge Pools
The photo accompanying this article shows a particularly interesting installation; it’s a twin plunge pool which we installed in a home in Notting Hill, London. It features two symmetrical hydrotherapy pools; one hot and the other cold. The hot pool features eight massage jets, including a cascading jet for back and shoulder muscles, as well as a circular mat in the floor for foot massages. The depth and full-width underwater steps in the cold pool allow bathers to wade in and out and remain standing while they cool down. What a lovely way to relax and revitalise!

At London Swimming Pool Company we specialise in swimming pool design, construction and refurbishment, so if you need advice on a brand new pool, contact us for an initial discussion – there’s no substitute for expert advice.